Must Read for Web Designers - 10 Useful Usability Findings and Guidelines

I just stumbled upon this today and I wish I've read this before: 10 Useful Usability Findings and Guidelines. Smashing Magazine has compiled what I think are some of the most important guidelines in creating your web design more effective. I have yet to implement these on my next projects, but for those of you who are curious, here are the main points discussed in the article:

1. Form labels work best above the field


2. Users focus on faces


3. Quality of design is an indicator of credibility


4. Most users do not scroll


5. Blue is the best color for links


6. The ideal search box is 27-characters wide


7. White space improves comprehension


8. Effective user testing doesn't have to be extensive


9. Informative product pages help you stand out


10. Most users are blind to advertising

To view the whole article with the in-depth discussion of the points, visit this post from Smashing Magazine.